Best Crossed Poems
(this is a form called Swap Quatrain, where first
line's phrases swap in the last line of each stanza)
In shadows’ veils, at end of night,
sweet Moon removes her modest light
and softly, yet again, exhales -
at end of night, in shadows’ veils.
As she departs, her love’s released
to climb the stairway to the east.
They cannot meet to share their hearts.
Her love’s released as she departs.
She watches him while hid from view,
the way he kisses morning’s dew,
and sees gold rays spill from his rim.
While hid from view, she watches him.
Sad Moon, alone for centuries,
with awe has watched Sun leave, cerise.
while she, afar. . . how cold she’s grown!
For centuries, sad moon alone.
She takes his place so he may rest.
And though forlorn, she’s always dressed
in lace, for Luna has great grace.
So he may rest, she takes his place.
For love of night, for love of day,
she can’t implore him that he sway
from course. To be apart’s their plight.
For love of day, for love of night.
Such deep, impassioned, love
startles our mortal ways.
Could we possibly have that
same eternal love?
Flowing in our souls and blood,
and being blind, make light of it?
How blessed, how young, how
fortunate,lovers they!
To refuse on this fetid earth to stay.
And of poison did imbibe and hence
dance forever in a moonlit sky.,
Willing to live in eternity, together. oh!
Not a beautiful flower, nor a stunning
sunset, no!
Could keep them here, why, on this so
controlling a place!
Be still this night and you will hear their
enchanting and bubbling laughter..
It whispers in trees, eternally, day and
night, a fortnight and foreverafter.
Poem ~1~
February 14, 2024
After many cold winters, they met again,
Under the poplar tree on a starry moonlit night.
Though they had planned it over many a time,
It came to fruition after such long lapse of years.
Once they loved as no lovers could ever
In devotion, never had they faltered, never once failed,
But fate was sadly against this star-crossed pair,
And the young lovers had to part ways in pain.
Once again, the old classmates congregated,
Precisely at the same campus under the same tree
Though years have wrinkled its aged bark,
Still, it bears the indelible mark of a heart pierced by an arrow
To its cover they have been drawn once more
Not to renew their bond or weave fresh dreams,
But just to see and feel once and never more,
For a fleeting second to be in love’s prison bound.
An eloquent silence lingered deep.
The celestial bodies stood in breathless anticipation.
From the sepulchered past, dead worlds awoke.
They knew, separation had only accentuated their love.
Alas! Nothing could their severed lives entwine
Neither a kiss nor an embrace, the shattered years combine
Yet once more they put their arms around.
And for the last time they looked at each other.
Perhaps, they meant this as their last gesture of love,
Hoping its memory would fuel them when weary,
With eyes blurred and moistened with tears,
And billows of emotion rising sky high.
Fearing they would lose their composure,
Abruptly they turned their wan faces away.
Without another word of goodbye,
They walked away into the stillness of the night!
-------------------------------------- ~*note: done in fun and aimed at no one~
try and seed my name you'll concede to shame
no use in calling names to lose the game
yir' ill will is just plain disastrous
asinine avatars deserve an asterisk
as for being fact-less, your slaps don't diss
every lick you spit simply tends to miss
harmless words that curse, rehearsed childishness
gets your face erased and they'll say who's next
as defilement arrives inside your text
that's when shame wheels you back, right to the nest.
~10 syllables in each of 10 rhyming lines~
“Close the book, ring the bell, light the candle.”
The witch’s words resounded in my ears.
My problems now were more than I could handle
and so I hoped she’d vanquish all my fears.
She stared at me across the darkened room
and then commanded me that I must stay
until my wish was granted. Then a broom
she grabbed, and out the door she flew away!
The magic lay in me, the hag had said.
I only had to wish with all my might.
But with my kind of luck, I might be dead
before I’d get what I had wished that night.
I sit here still; she’s left me with a curse!
No health care yet, and now my back is worse!
(sorry to belabor this, but now you see what preoccupies
my mind these days!! Linda's contests always seem
to bring out this topic for me lately. The gypsy referred to
in my title was in my last poem I did for Linda!)
By Andrea Dietrich for Linda-Marie's
"BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE" Poetry Contest
once you cross the line
there is no way to turn back
words can't be undone...
once you break a heart
there is no way to heal it
the cracks will show through
Eileen Manassian
But her glass was more empty than full;
Romeo left her a burden to pull.
In the amber swirls she saw despair.
‘Twas then his dagger she did snare.
Here in a dark and lonely tomb,
she was a bride and he, her groom.
She could not live without him;
it would make her life too grim.
Sad and crying, which way to turn?
She felt the dagger’s sharp blade burn,
As it slipped into her chest,
all the while her love she professed.
Soon her love appeared again
amidst heaven’s lush green glen.
Star-crossed lovers now shine at night;
look at the sky and follow their light.
*Entry for Catie’s “And with a Sip” contest
No crossed legs
No crossed arms
No crossed eyes
No closed circuits
Why?
Poor circulation
Limited creation
From crossed parts
Let there be resignation
Lines we've crossed in life
that put our souls in a place
to speak with no lines...
The "Line" contest...by Paula Swanson
It was in a different era from today’s when two soul mates met -
a time when a single woman could afford no blemish on her reputation.
For them to meet in public would require a trusted friend to be their sentry,
for one of them was engaged to a man she wished not to wed.
Under the guise of an enterprise in the home of the one betrothed, they met!
Once having met, the two had fallen deeply in love,
for how can one turn one’s sight from the visage of astral skies
once seeing the brilliance of bright stars in one’s soul mate’s eyes?
How can one not long to see their adored ever again?
Though it may have been a pernicious thing to do,
they chanced one day to traverse a valley to be with one another,
for nothing could dampen their anticipation of that rendezvous.
Their time was but one week together, and then it was ended.
Years later, the one who had remained single
sat watching the face of the one who had been forced into marriage,
who sat on the opposite side of the balcony of a theater,
not knowing her lover watched her secretly from afar as she listened
to the melancholy strains of music coming from the orchestra.
It was the symphony of their love story, and as it played on,
her eyes (two bright stars) wept beautifully sad tears.
Nov. 5, 2020 for John Hamilton's 'Eight word challenge 11' Contest NA
For Brian Strand's the 'ALL YOURS (Feb 2)' Poetry Contest
somehow and in someway, just once today
ends twist, making it so hard to resist
this connection with you, it’s true
- vines became tangled -
sometime and in someway- today
with only you
~ a little scribble ~
Today I crossed a milestone in a most eventful life
Fourscore years of wonder in a world awash in strife
I’ve kept a sense of humor in the face of utter gloom
Honored my commitments, married an incredible wife.
I’ve lived through awful wars and horrible pandemics
Frightening social upheavals with prejudices endemic,
But I’ve also seen a great many achievements for good
Encountered a majority of folks doing what they should
I’ve loved and lost, while enjoying many friendships
Along the way, and I can say, I’ve had a darn good run,
So when I go, I hope folks’ll say, “He surely did have fun!”
Please no tears when you learn I’ve bought the farm
I’ve tried to live my life without doing anyone harm,
I’ve done the best I could with what little I was given
I’m looking forward to a longer run, of course, in heaven.
written on December 5, 2021
my 80th birthday!
It was nice to come in from the cold
I ordered my espresso
Sat in the corner by myself
Wanted to read and relax
A man then came and sat
At the table next to me
Uncomfortably close I thought
He took off some layers
Unpacked a bag
It crossed my mind
He may be homeless
He had that look about him
It’s not like I was about to ask
Or engage in conversation
I had not slept all night
Definitely not in any mood
To stir the morning air
It crossed my mind
That I could not imagine
With the oncoming of winter
Being without my home or family
I was no longer in the mood to
Leisurely hang around
I reached to put my coat on
And couldn’t help but notice
The big hole in his left boot
I gasped inside my head
As I nodded and
Gave him a warm smile
Too stunned to do or say anything
I think about him now and then
And how that hole is now
Imprinted in my heart
Read on air by invitation ~ July 7, 2021 'WORDS & MUSIC'
AP: Honorable Mention 2022, Honorable Mention 2021
To hold your warmth in my hand
This love of ours, totally unplanned
Our lives are set but so far apart
How can you suddenly sneak into my heart
The secrets the lies I tell to see you
You, so calm, are you untrue
You send shivers that ripple all down my spine
I can’t believe you are not really mine.
I fight and I struggle to keep away
But even your aroma makes my head sway
When I need you, you are always there
Life is so hard it’s really not fair
In secret, no words, I leave for a stroll
To find my star-crossed love, a hot sausage roll
Our eternal souls are dust from a falling star
To once part and come back together from afar
Here is two imperfect hearts and souls
That when together they are whole
Will it be fate or destiny as this story unfolds
Both hearts and souls which was once complete now broken and lost
It came at such a high cost
Hurt anger pain and sadness
Helped create this madness
Even though both hearts misbehaved
This was a one of a kind love that needed to be saved
She looked to stars as he did the same for a sign
With the hopes these two hearts would come to realign
Forgiveness had to be found
Or the heart would never be sound
Back to our souls desire
A relationship to admire
Our love was deeply meant to be
For it was written across the stars drawn into our destiny